Any application from a new club shall be considered by the Executive Committee.

Clubs MUST have insurance cover to at least LTA Affiliated Club standards.

Accepted clubs may apply to enter an unlimited number of teams.

Safeguarding Guidance; Player safeguarding issues are the responsibility of the players club. Any issues coming to the notice of the league will be referred to the club concerned.

a) President

b) Treasurer

c) Secretary

d) Fixtures Secretary.

The Committee shall comprise a total of 12 members, including officers, plus a representative from the Northants LTA for liaison purposes.

The committee will choose their Chairperson and this will be ratified at the AGM.

This Committee shall have the power to co-opt members but shall not contain more than 2 members, including officers, from any given club.

Votes taken at the AGM to be decided by a simple majority of those entitled to vote.

Annual General Meeting notices shall be sent to clubs by 1st October.

Approved amendments to the rules will be forwarded to the Clubs with the Annual General Meeting Notices by 1st October and voted on at the Meeting.

The team entry fee shall be fixed by the outgoing Executive Committee and notified with the AGM notices.

Team Entry Fee is doubled for clubs choosing NOT to participate in our League Sponsor's ball purchase scheme.

Team entries for clubs not attending the AGM are increased by £5 per team.

Guidance;

John Henry Sports are the current league sponsor for the purchase of match balls at discounted prices.

Current standard fee is £16 per team in all leagues. Please pay invoice by cheque payable to NLTL or BACS to NLTL at Barclays Acct No; 20668265 Sort Code; 20-61-51.

All Summer Leagues – April to August inclusive.

Ladies Winter League – 3rd Monday in September to March inclusive.

Ladies Vets Winter League – Matches to be played between 1st September and 30th November.

Mixed Winter League – 3rd Monday in September to March inclusive.

Mens Winter League – 3rd Monday in September to March inclusive.

Mens Vets Winter League – 3rd Monday in September to February inclusive with March for rearranged matches.

All Winter Leagues - Internal fixtures must be completed by 31st January latest. Failure to do so will result in the match being declared null and void and no points awarded to either team.

Captains details should be updated on Mydivision as soon as the new seasons matches are posted on Mydivision to aid communication.

Abandoned matches must be replayed in their entirety. If a match is abandoned the home team should promptly offer 3 dates to the away team. At least 2 of the 3 dates should be on a weekdays except for clubs with no floodlights. The away team can choose from these 3 dates. More dates may be requested but the home team is under NO OBLIGATION to provide more than the first 3 dates.

Match dates may be changed but ONLY if both clubs agree and the Divisional Secretary is advised. Either club is perfectly entitled to disagree with any such request.

Guidance; Advice to captains from your Divisional Secretaries:

Please can all captains ensure that they retain a written record, either email or text, evidencing that there is full agreement between the two for whenever a match date is requested to be rescheduled. This is in order to safeguard your position and assist your Divisional Secretaries if any disputes arise.

Please check for opposition fixtures before offering dates. Failure to change match dates on Mydivision may result in false Player Eligibility penalties being applied.

b) All Winter weekday matches will start at 6.30 or 7pm. Weekend fixtures are allowed and must be the same for all teams at any one club. Saturday and Sunday may have different start times and must be no later than 2pm.

c) Each player plays 4 sets. Tie-break operates at 6 all in every set. Visiting players remain on the same courts throughout the match.

d) Results are based on a points system: 1 point is awarded for every set won.

e) If two or more teams involved in Championship/Promotion/Relegation finish level on points then Matches Won , Matches Drawn , Percentage of Games Won and Head-to-Head result(s), in that order , shall decide.

f) Each pair in Ladies, Mens and Mixed plays 2 sets against each opposing pair in the sequence: 1 v 2 and 2 v 1 then 1 v1 and 2 v 2.

Medley matches consist of two mixed matches of two sets each playing both sets against the same pair 1 v 1 and 2 v 2. This is followed by one Ladies Doubles and one Mens doubles of two sets each.

g) Promotion and Relegation between Divisions can be varied by the Executive Committee but is normally for 2 teams where either division is more than 7 teams or one team where both divisions are are 7 teams or less. No more than 3 teams from any one club shall play in the same division of more than 7 teams or 2 teams for divisions of 7 or less unless it is the lowest division except Ladies Vets where the rule is 2 teams as long as there is more than 1 division. This means that a team eligible for promotion may not be promoted if there are already the maximum number of teams from the same Club in the higher Division.

h) Due to bad weather or lack of light Captains may agree to play short sets or a tie break in order to reach a full match score. If Captains cannot agree on a way to complete the match then it must be replayed in its entirety.

Short sets, for example starting at 2 games all, using "No Ad" dueces (1 point only, receiving side to choose who receives) or a tie break may be used. Rule 12h) Short sets should be submitted as 6 to the winning team and tie breaks as 7-6 Weekday start time of 6.30 or 7pm is now allowed.

Results MUST now be the result of tennis actually played, see rule 19, so we need to describe the exceptions in section (h) above which are permitted.

If you are only able to send one pair you must notify the opposing captain at least 4 hours before the match start time.

If you are unable to send both pairs then you must notify the opposing captain at least 48 hours before the match start time.

Players will NOT be treated as No Show and Penalty Points will NOT be applied if the correct notification is provided.

Captains should save the timing and content of the notification in case of dispute. Set scores are recorded as 0 - 6 and players names as No Show.

Late Arrivals:

Any couple not on court and not available to commence play within 10 minutes of the official starting time forfeits the 1st set to love to the non offending team with the score being recorded as 0-6.

Any couple still not available to start the match within 20 minutes of the official start time also forfeits the 2nd set to love.

Penalty Points will NOT be applied for arrivals up to 45 minutes late.

If one or both pairs arrive more than 45 minutes after the match start time and there has been no prior notification within the given time limits they are treated as No Show. All unplayed sets are conceded and Penalty Points will be applied.

Ladies Vets only - No penalty for late starts, but please try to be prompt as a courtesy to the opposition. In the event of a player not turning up within 45 minutes of the match start time, they will not be permitted to play and points for the sets will be awarded to the opposing team.

a) No player may represent more than one club.

b) No player may play for a lower team if they have played more than two matches for a higher team, irrespective of divisions. Upward movement is not restricted. This restriction applies to all leagues EXCEPT MIXED.

c) No player may exceed their match quota as defined by the quota for the team in which he / she most frequently plays.

d) No player may play against any opposing team for more than one team.

e) If the Committee considers that " ringers " have been used contrary to the spirit of fair competition it reserves the right to take any action it deems to be appropriate.

f) Eligible ladies Vets to be aged 40 and over by 1st August. Eligible male Vets will be 45 or over during the calendar year the match takes place. If his 45th birthday falls into the following year he is eligible only for matches after 1st January.

Eligible Supervets will be 50 or over during the calendar year the match takes place.

If using an ineligible player it is polite to inform the opposing Captain.

Match quotas are based on the number of teams shown in the league table so will not include withdrawn teams whose fixtures have been voided.

In the event of a new player to your team who may be considered a Ringer please take advice from the Divisional Secretary at least 7 days before the match.

Captains may appeal to their Divisional Secretary for penalties to be removed but only in very exceptional circumstances.